


blue tulip for loyalty

by CaseyJuTardis



Series: Blooms [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Flowers, Language of Flowers, M/M, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Trans Stephen Strange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-26 01:58:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19758262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaseyJuTardis/pseuds/CaseyJuTardis
Summary: EaSnowPw requested “Stephen and Tony bonding a bit?”Part of the Blooms verse, I suggest you read part 1 first.





	blue tulip for loyalty

**Author's Note:**

> Written, edited, and posted entirely on mobile again. Any requests for one/two shots in this verse are always welcome.

“Yes, anyone can practice the mystic arts, Tony.”

The engineer’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t really believe that, but…”

“I was a licensed medical doctor before I became the Sorcerer Supreme, Tony. I had as much trouble believing in magic as you do. I was only able to get this good so quickly because of my eidetic memory.” Stephen explains, slowly unfolding himself from his meditative position, and laying down next to Tony. “But yes, all humans are technically able to learn and practice the mystic arts.”

“Technically? Not sure I like the sound of that.”

“Well… not everyone is capable of building and running a flying metal suit, are they?” Tony tilts his head, conceding Stephen’s point. “It takes a lot of patience, a lot of will, and a lot of flexibility. Many people have some, but not all.” 

Tony hums in interest, turning onto his side to face Stephen. Stephen does the same. In the privacy of their own room, their own bed, they wear no shirts. There is no shame in their blooms here. 

Just under two matching scars on Stephen’s chest are two _Zantedeschia aethiopica._ Calla Lilies. 

New beginnings. 

Tony reaches out and gently traces his fingers around the scars, down to the blooms, and back up. “So I could become a sorcerer?” He asks. Stephen opens his eyes, sleepy under Tony’s gentle, rhythmic touch. 

“Yes, I suppose you could. I didn’t think you would want to, though. You’re very deeply rooted in science- more so than I was. And I don’t think you want to give that up.” He murmurs. Tony hums again, and nods. His tracing doesn’t stop. 

“Sounds about right. I'll leave breaking the laws of gravity, physics, and several others to you, Love.” 

Stephen smiles slightly. The gentle tracing continues, before Tony taps on one of the lilies. “May I?” He asks. Stephen nods, and Tony lays a warm hand flat on the bloom. 

Top surgery scars. They’re old, 15 years old now, so they’re faded. But the calla lilies stand out strong against Stephen’s pale skin, unabashedly proud of how far he’s come. The surgery went without a hitch, and he healed quickly. 

Tony’s palm eventually moves away, over to Stephen’s waist so he can pull them close together, so he can just lay with the one he loves and be. 

~

Tony picks up the holographic element, turning it back and forth, and bringing up his other hand to pinch it closer. Suddenly, he throws his hands up and out, making the element expand to encompass him and Stephen, rotating slowly. 

“This is how I rediscovered an element.” Tony murmurs, slowly running his hand through the holograms. Stephen’s eyes shine in the blue light, wide with wonder and awe. “Wanna give it a go?” He asks, and Stephen looks over. “Just-“ Tony mimics reversing what he did to expand the element. 

Stephen hesitates, before bringing his own hands up and out, feeling for the gentle buzz of the edge of the hologram. He finds it after a moment, and slowly brings his hands down, compressing the element until it’s palm-sized. “Amazing.” He breathes, and Tony blushes, glancing away. Stephen settles down to study it closer, and Tony returns to work. The only sound in the workshop are Tony’s machines, and Stephen occasionally talking to FRIDAY. 

~

There’s a big bouquet of black roses on Stephen’s back. It’s not his biggest bloom, each rose only the size of his pinky nail, but there are a lot of them. It’s hard to count. 

As they’re getting dressed one morning, Tony stops Stephen with a hand to the shoulder. “Is it okay if I ask about this one?” He asks Stephen quietly. “I have my own black roses, but… not nearly that many. It can wait if you don’t feel up to it right now.” 

Stephen pauses, tilts his head, before nodding and turning to Tony. “It’s not a pretty sight. It’s each death I felt with Dormammu. None of them are kind, all of them are brutal.” He explains. “I’m okay with you seeing them, but it’s up to you to decide your limits.” 

Tony hesitates, before leaning back. “Maybe not, then.” He murmurs. 

~

“This one.” Stephen pulls down the side of his boxers, showing a bright pink _Camellia japonica_ bloom. “This is the one I’m most proud of.” 

“Tell me why.” Tony requests. 

“It bloomed not long after my accident. When I realized that I could not, would not, be able to be a surgeon anymore. _Unpretending excellence._ ” Stephen murmurs, shifting towards Tony and bringing his hands up, clenching them slowly before releasing them. They trembled slightly, scars shining in the low light of their bedroom. “I was good at what I did. Very good. But that part of my life was over.” He sighs quietly. 

Tony takes Stephen’s hands in his, running his fingers over the scars, then over the pad of each finger, before kissing each palm. 

~

It’s been a year since Tony’s snap, and the Avengers are finally called into the field. All of them. It’s not a villain, not a world-ending situation. A natural disaster. 

An earthquake, 7.5 on the Richter scale, in the center of Beijing, China. The damage is incredible, and the UN called the Avengers in to provide help- heavy lifting, portals, telekinesis, even smashing helped. They all stayed for a week with the relief efforts, rotating groups out every 4 hours to make sure no one worked themselves into exhaustion. The Maria Stark Foundation funded over half of the relief efforts, giving money to those who lost their homes, businesses that had to close, paying construction crews, etc. 

They were still all exhausted. 

“ _Sleep._ ” Peter mumbled, face down on his bed in their hotel. Tony laughed, patting him gently on the shoulder. 

“I’ll see you in the morning, kid.” He says, and goes over to his and Stephen’s room. Stephen is stepping out of the shower, toweling his hair dry with another wrapped around his hips. “Hello, Love.” 

Stephen smiles fondly, stepping over to kiss Tony on the cheek. “We’re almost done. By this time tomorrow, we’ll be home.” He murmurs. He glances up, and frowns. “Tony, you forgot to go to medical, didn’t you?” He asks. 

“Uh, I didn’t think I needed it.” Tony replies, touching his forehead, where Stephen was looking. His fingers come back tacky and red. “Oh.”

“Here, sit down on the bed and I’ll clean it up.” Tony does so, smiling at Stephen. 

“Why go to medical when I have my personal doctor waiting in my room?” He leers, before blinking at the wave of nausea and exhaustion. “Oh. There goes the adrenaline.” He mumbles. Stephen comes back from the bathroom with a pair of pants on, and a wet cloth in his hand. He pats the cut on Tony’s forehead clean and dry, examining it closely. 

“Shouldn’t need stitches. How did you get this?” He asks. Tony thinks back to the past few hours. 

“Uh. Some rubble landed on me? I think. It wasn’t heavy enough to drop me out of the sky, but I guess I got jolted around enough in the suit that I got cut.” He explains, allowing Stephen to usher him to the bed and sitting on it. Stephen conjures a ball of light, holding it up to both of Tony’s eyes. 

“No concussion, thankfully.” Stephen murmurs, smoothing a hand over the cut and across Tony’s forehead. The cut is the width of his thorns, cutting right through the bloom. Tony watches as Stephen’s face morphs through several emotions- worry, sorrow, regret, and pride seem to flit across his eyes in rapid succession. “May I look into this one, Tony?” Stephen finally asks after a few quiet moments. 

“My crown? You were there, weren’t you?” Tony asks, and Stephen nods. 

“Yes, but I would like to see it from your perspective.” Tony tilts his head slightly under Stephen’s hand, and hums his acquisition. Stephen’s palm slides to the center of Tony’s forehead, pressing down ever-so-slightly to initiate the connection. 

_Pain is what he first feels. Excruciating, unending, pulsating pain coming from his right hand and traveling up and over his body. He is bombarded with whispers of worthiness, overwhelming in their sincerity. Determination suddenly washes over him, almost drowning out everything else. Almost._

_‘Bring them all back. Every single person killed by the initial snap, and the fallout of half the universe gone. Bring them back, and take Thanos’ army instead.’_

_It’s repeated over and over, a mantra branded across his consciousness. He can feel his body shutting down from the pain, but he has enough control for one more thing, and the stones seem to encourage him._

_“I. Am. Iron Man.”_

Stephen’s hand lifts from Tony’s forehead, the trembling worsening from the ghosts of the pain. “Tony.” He whispers, his voice wrecked and crackling. Tony takes Stephen’s hands firmly in his own, bringing them up to his chest. His heart beats firmly beneath their intertwined hands, proving he is _alive, alive, alive._


End file.
